Childhood is a very fragile and important time in the development of a human being. Abuse during childhood is known to cause psychological, social, sexual and physical problems later in life that are nearly impossible to overcome without the help of intensive therapy and treatment.

Here is a look at how different forms of abuse effect children and what can be done to alleviate some of the problems that ensue if proper measures are not taken early on.

“The closer the relationship between the victim and the abuser, the more devastating the effects on the child or youth. As they intensity, frequency and duration of abuse increases, so does the effect on the psyche of that child or youth,” Dr. Darlene Barriere, a violence and abuse prevention educator, said.

A child’s parent is the most likely source of emotional abuse and sadly, it is the most difficult type of abuse to spot because the child remains the same physically; there are no bruises or burns to detect.

Emotional abuse is characterized as constant negative messages sent to a child that demoralizes and discourages them. Children are very sensitive and perceptive and if they are constantly being told they are not good enough or being made to feel bad about themselves, they will begin believing those things to be true.

It is believed that even a single message of rejection or a lone episode of emotional abuse can have an impact on the psyche of a child for years to come.

Emotional abuse may not leave bruises or cuts, but it will cause a noticeable change in a child’s demeanor and attitude. The signs of emotional abuse vary according to the age and gender of the child, which is in part due to the different parenting styles we apply to each sex.

To this day, boys are still taught that it is not masculine to cry and that the only acceptable emotion to express is anger, while girls are taught that expressing anger is not a feminine quality and that crying is more acceptable.

It is because of these social expectations, among others, that boys and girls show the effects of emotional abuse differently.

It can become apparent that a female child is being emotionally abused when she displays symptoms of being withdrawn, passive, approval-seeking, compliant, frustrated easily, clinging to adults, excessive independence, being stubborn, teasing excessively, worrying excessively or has somatic complaints.

Somatization is characterized by unexplained physical problems. A study conducted by Leiden University’s Developmental Psychology department found that the most common somatic complaints in children pertain to abdominal pain and headaches.

It is unknown if children actually feel the pain they are reporting, but oftentimes it is a child’s way of making the pain they feel emotionally more tangible by associating it with physical pain.

Emotional abuse rips apart the self-esteem of a child and destroys any sense of a positive self image he or she may have had and hinders a positive self-image in the future.

The effects of childhood abuse on an adult are very serious and unless dealt with, can manifest in various ways. Women who were emotionally abused as children often develop eating disorders, experience substance abuse problems, partake in “self harm” such as cutting or burning themselves, have virtually no self-esteem and experience depression, among other things.

Childhood abuse affects men in similar ways. According to studies, men also suffer from depression, substance abuse and self harm, in addition to profound sadness, aggression and an inability to trust others.

If the effects of childhood abuse are not addressed early on, men who have suffered this type of abuse also tend to emotionally abuse women in their lives, particularly those they have romantic relationships with, such as their girlfriends or wives.

There are many forms of abuse and emotional abuse is the most discreet of them all. The effects of childhood neglect are more apparent. Neglecting a child involves the refusal to tend to their most basic human needs.

Children depend on adults from the time they are babies until they are adults, and neglecting them at such an important developmental stage is perhaps the greatest disservice you can do to a child. Basic human needs can be split into two categories: emotional needs and physical needs.

Emotional needs consist of caring and love, hugs and kisses, respect, moral guidance and discipline, time together, encouragement, reassurance, praise, support and attention and providing an education for the child.

Physical needs consist of food, clothing, shelter, safe environment, supervision, hygiene, access to medical and dental care, adequate rest, exercise and fresh air and once again, hugs and kisses. “Hugs and kisses are considered both an emotional and physical need. The act of touching is a primary need for children, for human beings in general,” Barriere said.

The act of touching is not just humane, but essential to children, babies in particular. Studies have shown that babies who were orphaned during times of war and who did not receive the most basic human contact from nurses in the way of rocking or touching, died because of the lack of human contact.

A child who is not being cared for properly is usually very easy to spot. They are often too small or thin for their age and they have trouble concentrating in school - that is, if they attend school.

Children who are being neglected tend to have an excessive amount of absences. Also, neglected children tend to appear tired, dirty and unkempt, they have rotting teeth or bad breath, body odor and often exhibit clear signs of low self-esteem and depression.

Some of the more obvious things to look out for are children who are stealing lunch money or food items from others, rifling through garbage for food or who always seems to be hungry.

“Research is now showing that effects of neglect last well into adulthood and not just emotionally, but physically as well,” Barriere said. Child neglect is associated with the poorest academic achievement and not doing well in school or dropping out altogether can obviously cause large obstacles in the life of that child as they become an adult.

Adults who were neglected as children also suffer from self esteem issues, depression, difficulty trusting others and substance abuse.Effects of childhood trauma are deep and long-lasting.

Many adults still carry the scars - some physical, some not - of their childhoods and it hinders them from leading the happy, healthy life they want and deserve. Intensive therapy is the best way to work out issues concerning past abuse and usually helps individuals move forward with their lives.

If you suspect that a child is being abused or if you have witnessed the abuse firsthand, it is imperative that you report it immediately. You can never be too cautious when it comes to protecting the well-being of a child.

How Does Your Self-Esteem Hold Up?Do you realize that your level of self-esteem influences not only the way you think about yourself, but also, the manner in which you behave on a regular basis? Although the truth behind how we develop our level of self-esteem is surrounded by fact and fiction, it remains a fact that our self-esteem is an integral part of our lives. Try this quiz to see where you fall on the self-esteem barometer.

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